Thread by @jillpromoli

As our #COVIDVaccine efforts ramp up in Ontario, there are hard conversations happening. LTC needed to be our top priority, and as of yesterday there were still residents receiving their first dose. Frontline healthcare workers also needed to be prioritized. 1/10

https://twitter.com/CBCQueensPark/status/1366764274065035268

Now that we can expect regular vaccine shipments, Ontarians are asking where they & their loved ones fall in line. All else being equal, age would be the greatest risk factor.

But all else is not equal, and our postal codes are a factor in risk levels.2/
thestar.com/news/gta/2021/…

'In these worst-affected postal codes, the death rate for people 80 and older was 27x higher than an 80-plus person living in ON’s least-affected postal codes.

Even people in their early 40s had 2x death or hospitalization rate vs a senior >80 in areas w/lowest COVID rates.'3/10

We're all anxious for our parents and other older family members to be protected, and this part is hard. My parents are seniors, and they're both still working essential, public-facing jobs.

Fortunately, they also live in a region that's been mostly spared. 4/10

I want them vaccinated ASAP, but I also know that here in Peel we have a lot of people who are not able to avoid exposure and are at much higher risk of being infected at work, or by a loved one who will be exposed at work, and the province has not taken steps to reduce risk.5/10

'[Peel jobs] are considered essential, and rightly so. The things these workers are shipping, receiving, processing & packaging are the unseen backbone of vital services, from supermarkets to online shopping. Your life is virtual b/c their work isn’t.'6/10
theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editor…

Yesterday there was some anger at news that Toronto police were receiving vaccines.

If you call 911 in a medical emergency, it may be the police who arrive first. This was the case in our home, and I've thought often of their exposure to flu that day.7/10

https://twitter.com/rgilliescanada/status/1366477311294513154

There are people whose essential work in harder-hit regions put them at unavoidable higher risk of exposure, then of passing on infection to anyone else they may come in contact with after. Lower-income workers & racialized communities have experienced the worst of #COVID19. 8/10

We all want our loved ones protected now. We need distribution to meet the greatest need first to prevent more loss of life. These are hard conversations. I'm worried about my parents. I'm more urgently worried about people I know will get sick at work in Mississauga today. 9/10

None of this is easy & emotions will be charged no matter how distribution goes, especially when we all have questions re: how the months ahead look. We need more transparency. We also need to continue prevention efforts as we wait. We're nearly there. #onpoli #COVIDVaccine 10/10